Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Risks of gynecological and breast cancers in women with endometriosis or adenomyosis : A nationwide cohort study

Moberg, Louise LU ; Li, Xinjun LU ; Herbst, Filip LU ; Jansåker, Filip LU orcid ; Dobilas, Arturas LU ; Sundquist, Kristina LU and Borgfeldt, Christer LU (2026) In Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica 105(8). p.1607-1613
Abstract

Introduction: Endometriosis has been associated with several risk factors for cancer, and population-based research has shown that women with endometriosis have a higher risk of several types of cancer. The aim of this study was to examine the risks of gynecological and breast cancers among women diagnosed with endometriosis or adenomyosis. Material and Methods: A nationwide cohort study was conducted between 1997 and 2018. All women diagnosed with endometriosis or adenomyosis (the first recorded diagnosis during the study period) in Sweden were followed for cancer diagnosis. The reference population was women not diagnosed with endometriosis or adenomyosis during the study period. Data were obtained from the National Patient Register... (More)

Introduction: Endometriosis has been associated with several risk factors for cancer, and population-based research has shown that women with endometriosis have a higher risk of several types of cancer. The aim of this study was to examine the risks of gynecological and breast cancers among women diagnosed with endometriosis or adenomyosis. Material and Methods: A nationwide cohort study was conducted between 1997 and 2018. All women diagnosed with endometriosis or adenomyosis (the first recorded diagnosis during the study period) in Sweden were followed for cancer diagnosis. The reference population was women not diagnosed with endometriosis or adenomyosis during the study period. Data were obtained from the National Patient Register (in patient and out patient specialist care settings), the Swedish Cancer Register, and the Total Population Register. Adjusted standardized incidence ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated for cancer. Women with prior gynecological organ removal or mastectomy were not excluded. Results: A total of 49 133 women were diagnosed with endometriosis or adenomyosis at a mean age of 42.7 years (standard deviation: 9.97 years). Of these, 1784 (3.6%) were diagnosed with gynecological or breast cancer. The overall standardized incidence ratio for gynecological and breast cancer in women with endometriosis or adenomyosis for the whole study period was 1.4 (95% confidence interval, 1.3–1.5) compared to those without. For cancers diagnosed in the same calendar year as endometriosis or adenomyosis (n = 370), the standardized incidence ratios were particularly high for endometrial cancer (standardized incidence ratio 47.0) and ovarian (standardized incidence ratio 39.6) cancer. For cancers diagnosed in subsequent calendar years (n = 1414), the standardized incidence ratios were 0.6 (0.5–0.8) for endometrial cancer, 0.7 (0.5–0.9) for cervical cancer, 1.2 (1.1–1.3) for breast cancer, and 1.9 (1.6–2.2) for epithelial ovarian cancers overall. When looking at ovarian cancer subtypes, the standardized incidence ratios were 1.5 (1.1–2.0), 2.8 (1.7–4.2), and 7.7 (5.4–10.6), for low-grade serous, endometrioid, and ovarian clear cell cancers, respectively. Conclusions: Women with endometriosis or adenomyosis have a higher subsequent risk of ovarian and breast cancers compared to women without. This may represent important information for clinicians and a foundation for further studies on prophylactic interventions.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
breast cancer, cervical cancer, endometrial cancer, endometriosis, ovarian cancer
in
Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica
volume
105
issue
8
pages
7 pages
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • scopus:105039207573
  • pmid:42136042
ISSN
0001-6349
DOI
10.1111/aogs.70223
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
358f160e-20bb-42f7-9502-e8a5443b0eb3
date added to LUP
2026-08-24 13:57:04
date last changed
2026-09-21 15:37:42
@article{358f160e-20bb-42f7-9502-e8a5443b0eb3,
  abstract     = {{<p>Introduction: Endometriosis has been associated with several risk factors for cancer, and population-based research has shown that women with endometriosis have a higher risk of several types of cancer. The aim of this study was to examine the risks of gynecological and breast cancers among women diagnosed with endometriosis or adenomyosis. Material and Methods: A nationwide cohort study was conducted between 1997 and 2018. All women diagnosed with endometriosis or adenomyosis (the first recorded diagnosis during the study period) in Sweden were followed for cancer diagnosis. The reference population was women not diagnosed with endometriosis or adenomyosis during the study period. Data were obtained from the National Patient Register (in patient and out patient specialist care settings), the Swedish Cancer Register, and the Total Population Register. Adjusted standardized incidence ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated for cancer. Women with prior gynecological organ removal or mastectomy were not excluded. Results: A total of 49 133 women were diagnosed with endometriosis or adenomyosis at a mean age of 42.7 years (standard deviation: 9.97 years). Of these, 1784 (3.6%) were diagnosed with gynecological or breast cancer. The overall standardized incidence ratio for gynecological and breast cancer in women with endometriosis or adenomyosis for the whole study period was 1.4 (95% confidence interval, 1.3–1.5) compared to those without. For cancers diagnosed in the same calendar year as endometriosis or adenomyosis (n = 370), the standardized incidence ratios were particularly high for endometrial cancer (standardized incidence ratio 47.0) and ovarian (standardized incidence ratio 39.6) cancer. For cancers diagnosed in subsequent calendar years (n = 1414), the standardized incidence ratios were 0.6 (0.5–0.8) for endometrial cancer, 0.7 (0.5–0.9) for cervical cancer, 1.2 (1.1–1.3) for breast cancer, and 1.9 (1.6–2.2) for epithelial ovarian cancers overall. When looking at ovarian cancer subtypes, the standardized incidence ratios were 1.5 (1.1–2.0), 2.8 (1.7–4.2), and 7.7 (5.4–10.6), for low-grade serous, endometrioid, and ovarian clear cell cancers, respectively. Conclusions: Women with endometriosis or adenomyosis have a higher subsequent risk of ovarian and breast cancers compared to women without. This may represent important information for clinicians and a foundation for further studies on prophylactic interventions.</p>}},
  author       = {{Moberg, Louise and Li, Xinjun and Herbst, Filip and Jansåker, Filip and Dobilas, Arturas and Sundquist, Kristina and Borgfeldt, Christer}},
  issn         = {{0001-6349}},
  keywords     = {{breast cancer; cervical cancer; endometrial cancer; endometriosis; ovarian cancer}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{8}},
  pages        = {{1607--1613}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica}},
  title        = {{Risks of gynecological and breast cancers in women with endometriosis or adenomyosis : A nationwide cohort study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/aogs.70223}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/aogs.70223}},
  volume       = {{105}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}